Interest in measuring media data exposure has been growing in recent years, with many seeking to determine the numbers and types of individuals that are exposed to or consume media data. The terms “media data” and “media” as used herein mean data which is widely accessible, whether over-the-air, or via cable, satellite, network, internetwork (including the Internet), displayed, distributed on storage media, or by any other means or technique that is humanly perceptible, without regard to the form or content of such data, and including but not limited to audio, video, audio/video, text, images, animations, databases, broadcasts, displays (including but not limited to video displays), web pages and streaming media. To date, a number of improvements have been made for counting aggregate numbers of users that may have been exposed to media data.
However, one area where improvements are needed is the efficient and secure transfer of research data in households and the like. The term “research data” as used herein means data comprising (1) data concerning usage of media data, (2) data concerning exposure to media data, and/or (3) market research data. Presently, research data collected from users require extended storage periods, where communication of the collected research data takes place over a wired connection or wirelessly, typically through a wireless cellular connection. In the case of cellular communication, this can result in inefficient and insecure communication. Furthermore, significant amounts of research data may be sent over the wireless cellular connection, which typically results in increased costs for the user.